Well, Robin thought to himself. This is it.

He had been walking for nearly half an hour now, hoping to get as far away from the Shepherds as possible. That way, he couldn't possibly hurt them.

But that wasn't enough... was it?

He decided that he had put enough distance between himself and camp to stop and take a few moments to relax. Surveying his surroundings, he found a small, flat boulder and sat himself down with a loud sigh. Loathe as he was to admit it, the hills of Plegia were indescribably beautiful at night. Rolling hills of sand caught the glint of the dusk-time sky, illuminated by bright stars and constellations. It was a beautiful mix of green, purple, blue, and red that made it impossible to pull his eyes away.

At the very least, it offered Robin a small amount of solace knowing that Naga herself was watching over him, somewhere.

So was Grima.

"Naga, give me strength," Robin muttered quietly as he lost himself in the night sky.

His thoughts drifted to the remaining Shepherds. He could only imagine how his actions had affected the atmosphere and morale of his allies. How did they view him now? Was he an enemy? Did they hate him now?

Over the last few years, Robin had become close friends to a few of his fellow Shepherds. This was no surprise, however, as fighting alongside the same comrades over the course of several major conflicts logically leads to tight bonds.

Firstly, he had grown fond of Cordelia, the Shepherds' red-haired pegasus knight. They would spend many a long night discussing literature, philosophy, and their favorite novels until the sun rose the next day. Regardless of how passionate Cordelia was about her books, Robin had little room to complain- it was a welcome change from a world of war and strife.

Although seemingly a strange pair, he had been able to adjust to Lon'qu's hard exterior and find a kind hearted and honest man. When he had issues, Lon'qu was almost always there with an ear and and eye. When he had been cut down in battle, Robin took the loss hard- he always lost himself in grief when a Shepherd was killed.

Robin wasn't the only one crushed by Lon'qu's death, however. It wasn't a secret that Chrom's sister had held a crush on the swordsman, and being able to share in their grief was a privilege that both Robin and Lissa were incredibly grateful for- while they had been acquaintances before, that had been the moment they had become real friends. Ever since Lon'qu's death, Lissa had been wary of finding herself falling for people and was one of the few unwed Shepherds left.

Lastly, ever since the war against Valm, Virion had connected with Robin in a much more personal way than most of the other Shepherds. Once Virion had confessed to him the true nature of his origins as the Duke of Rosanne, Robin found himself able to sympathize much more with the archer. In a purely interpersonal way, Virion had become one of Robin's closest friends. While Robin may tell him that he only kept him around because willing participants for Robin's trademark games of chess were hard to come by, he was an honest man and a loyal friend.

That being said, the opinion of some worried him more than others. Robin had always had an interesting relationship with Frederick. He had found ways to justify Frederick's stubborn demeanor towards him that made enough sense, but Lucina had always been unnecessarily cold to him. No matter where he went, who he was with, or what he was doing, Lucina was always somewhere close by. At first, he wasn't sure of her reasoning. Until then, he had simply boiled it down to a dislike of him as a person, but now he understood.

She had to have known. There was no other explanation for how she treated him, but this left him with an uncomfortable question. Why hadn't she killed him yet? Why hadn't any of the future children killed him yet?

Without him, none of his friends would be hurt.

Without him, the Fire Emblem is not stolen.

Without him, Chrom is never killed.

That last thought was the one that sobered him the most, and gave him enough strength to do what he knew he had to do. He closed his eyes, and with a sigh he laid his hand where his signature dagger sit in its sheath.

Once Chrom had discovered that Robin had slipped out of camp, he gave Lissa a short scolding before calling an emergency meeting in the command tent. He was fully aware of what happened at the Plegian castle, and fully aware of the effect it had on his Shepherds- however, this did not change the fact that Robin hadn't been in control and did not deserve to shoulder the blame for what happened.

Ever since he and his sister had found him unconscious in that field, their bond had grown into something stronger than simple camaraderie. Day after day, battle after battle, and conflict after conflict, he had trusted Robin with his life more times than he could fathom to count. The reality was simple, and that reality was that Chrom and Robin were brothers in all but blood.

Shaking his head and returning himself to reality, he found that most of the Shepherds had entered the tent and were eyeing Chrom worriedly. He felt a hand slip into his own and squeeze, turning to find Lissa looking up at him with an anxious smile. Chrom squeezed back and returned a soft smile of his own.

"You okay, sis?"

"Yeah. I'm just... I'm worried. I hope he's okay. And if he isn't, then it would be my fault."

Chrom gave her a sympathetic look before sighing deeply.

"Even if some of us put on a hard appearance, I think we all are worried about him. It'll be alright, Lissa. We will organize a search party and find him in no time."

Lissa let out a soft, humorless laugh. "I hope so."

Once the last of the Shepherds had filed in, Chrom cleared his throat commandingly before speaking.

"Thank you all for being here on such short notice, but I'm afraid we must act with relative haste," he began as he looked to each Shepherd with a nod, taking a silent headcount. "However, it would be foolish to act while not acknowledging the facts of recent events. I am wholly aware of exactly what transpired in the Plegian castle, as are you all. This changes nothing."

Without realizing it, his hand drifted to the deep bruise in the center of his chest, fingers brushing lightly over the surface of the fabric before he continued.

"I am also wholly aware of the sentiment around camp. I am sure that some of you hold an amount of disdain and anger in your hearts, but I ask you to set that aside. Around an hour ago, Robin managed to slip out of camp, and has been missing since then. It is imperative that we find him and ensure that he returns to camp safely. Understood?"

A quiet, affirming murmur spread throughout the tent, but the mild displeasure on a few faces cut plainly through the sound.

Chrom crossed his arms, satisfied enough with the response. "Now, I would prefer to travel light and cover as much ground as possible. We will not be requiring a large group, but any and all help is greatly appreciated. Preferably, this search party will consist of seven members, as it is important for some of you to stay and watch the camp. Who will be joining me?"

"I'll go," Lissa said from his side, receiving a nod from his older brother.

"I will be joining you as well," Lucina added from a corner of the tent.

"I must go!" Owain announced dramatically.

"As will I, milord," came Frederick.

"I wanna come, too," Morgan said timidly, betrayed by the determined spark in her eye.

"Pray, allow me to assist you," Virion said confidently.

Chrom looked to each of the six volunteers before nodding approvingly. "Perfect. You all have five minutes to prepare. Nagaspeed, everyone."

With that, the Shepherds began to exit, chatting amongst themselves as they prepared to search for their lost tactician.

As Robin sat, he shut his eyes and reflected on the events that had led him to this point. Every battle, every moment, and every laugh he could recall vividly. All of the hours he had spent up at night, drafting battle plans and working tirelessly to ensure the Shepherds' success had shattered in a matter of seconds.

And the blame rested solely on his shoulders.

There weren't any more justifications to be made, or rationalizations to excuse himself with. Before, he had always convinced himself that he had the mental and physical strength to combat whatever was thrown his way, that the nightmares that had plagued his dreams for years were just that: dreams. But now, having lost control, assaulted Chrom and stolen the Emblem, his path became as clear as day. He couldn't be allowed to hurt his comrades again.

Robin took a deep breath, shaking his head as he exhaled. Opening his eyes, he saw the star-filled sky again. There was always something truly breathtaking about the night sky. The thousands of stars, proudly shining down onto him, with a kind of otherworldly innocence. Disconnected from the world, yet attached all the same. It was a scene of seemingly random points, brightnesses and shapes- but he knew that they were all equally purposeful in creation.

His favorite part was the colors. The way the brilliant shades of greens, purples, blues, and reds mingled and mixed together was much more beautiful than any song he had heard, poem he had read or any painting he had seen. It was perfect in nearly every way, and in these final moments, they offered him comfort.

He swallowed hard, averting his gaze from the sky before his hand found the dagger at his hip. His eye twitched slightly as he became increasingly aware of the pounding in his chest, doing his best to level his breathing. As his fingers found the grip, he slowly unsheathed the blade and studied it carefully. The surface of the blade sparkled with the reflection of the starry night sky, creating a dazzling show of lights across the blade. Turning the dagger over, the Mark of Grima shone vibrantly across the back of his hand, reminding him of the task at hand.

His thoughts drifted back to the others. Had they even realized his absence? Should he have said more to his allies while he was with them? He shook his head once more as he closed his eyes and tightened his grip on his blade.

In the darkness, visions began to materialize in his head. First, he saw Chrom and Lissa's faces peering down at him as he lay in the grass. The scene faded to his room in Yllistol, where his white-haired daughter looked up at him and smiled while Chrom and Lucina stood in the doorway, studying him. He hadn't realized it in the moment, but now he could swear he caught a glimpse of sympathy in Lucina's eyes. The scene faded again, and he found himself with Lissa, sitting at the base of an old tree, studying the bustling city of Ylisstol. Her head came to rest on his shoulder as he smiled. He looked down to her and their eyes met. They were quiet for a moment before her mouth opened to speak.

"Robin?"

Robin's eyes shot open as he looked up, confused. He cocked his head to the side, much like a dog would upon hearing a high pitched whistle. At first, he dismissed it as part of the vision, but it sounded too real. What was-

"Robin!"

His eyes widened as he turned from atop his boulder to see Lissa breaking into a run towards him, before being stopped by Chrom's arm. She squinted at Chrom, obviously displeased before she followed his gaze into Robin's hand, the blade in his hands glinting fiercely in the starlight.

Chrom lowered his arm, now looking the tactician in the eyes. "Robin? What do you think you're doing out here?"

Several familiar figures followed at his flank, eyeing Robin carefully. They all saw it- Robin's knuckles grew white around the wooden grip of the dagger.

Robin's lip shook, searching for the correct words to say. "You shouldn't have come looking for me, Chrom."

"Robin, I know you. I know this look," Chrom said slowly, raising an eyebrow as he studied his friend's face before glancing down towards the dagger in his hand. "I need you to calm down and think before you do something stupid, okay?"

Robin's jaw tightened as his eyes met Lissa's, registering the silent plea in her gaze.

"You aren't safe," he said shakily, eyes still glued to hers. "None of you are safe around me, and you know that. Please, leave me to do what I need to do. Don't make this harder."

Chrom studied him for a moment before speaking again. "Dueling with unpleasant thoughts?"

Robin looked back to him before averting his eyes towards the ground. "Yeah. Yeah, you could say that."

"W-we don't blame you, Robin," Lissa stuttered quietly.

Robin recoiled slightly at the words, eyes squinting as he fought for the right response. He glanced quickly towards the others in the group. Frederick, Virion, Owain, Lucina and Morgan all watched him with silent, unspoken agreement.

"What? How?" Robin asked, confusion painted on his face. "How could you not blame me? This is my fault! This is my fault, and you know it! I'm the one who compromised the Emblem, not one of you! How can you continue to defend me? I don't care if Validar had control over my mind- I have to be stronger than that! I need to be stronger than that!"

"Robin," Chrom began in a low tone.

"No. Don't Robin me," Robin shot back, voice raising. "You guys are ridiculous! All the evidence you need has been laid out for you on a silver fucking platter! I kill you, Chrom! I've seen it!"

Robin turned to address Lucina, extending a finger to her. "And you, Lucina, should know this better than anyone. It's me, isn't it? I'm the one who cuts your father down in your time, aren't I?"

Her eyes widened, jaw clenching and staring at him with a fiery expression that gave him all the confirmation he needed.

"Yeah," he said, quietly. "I had thought so."

Robin sighed, returning his gaze to the Exalt, a fierceness in his eyes that were hardly ever seen from him. "Cut me down, Chrom."

Eyes widened and gasps exploded from the group before him as they stared in disbelief at their tactician. He eyed each of his friends individually, acting as a silent clarification to his words. As he studied them, he noticed a pained look on Owain's face that he couldn't quite decipher.

"Pray, Robin, you mustn't act so rashly," Virion pleaded. "This is most unlike you!"

Chrom simply scoffed in amazement. "I'm sorry, what?"

Robin rolled his eyes in annoyance. "For the love of Naga, Chrom, don't make this difficult. You know that I'm too dangerous to be left alive. Were you not listening just now when I said that I'm the traitor? That I'm the one who murders you?!"

Thinking over his words, Chrom's eyes softened in understanding. Taking a deep breath, he took a step towards Robin, hand raised in a disarming manner. "Hey, come on..."

In response, Robin's grip on the blade tightened as he raised the blade above his head, pointing down towards himself.

"Don't, Chrom," he warned. "Or I'll do it myself."

Chrom's eyes widened, stopping in his tracks. "You wouldn't..."

"Robin, this is lunacy!" he heard Frederick say from the group amongst a second wave of gasps.

He simply received a smirk from the tactician in response. "Oh? Last I heard, you wanted me dead more than I did."

Frederick frowned. "I... came to terms, I suppose. I acted harshly in the castle."

"Robin, please," a small voice said to his left.

Robin paused, looking to where Lissa stood fiddling nervously with her hands.

"I.. I think we should talk this out," she said quietly. "We should go back to camp, sit down with eachother, and figure this out together."

"Lissa... You know I can't do that. I'm not going to let further harm come to you, to Chrom... to any of you."

She looked to her shoes for a moment before speaking again.

"Who says you can't fight it, Robin? I know you, and I trust you," she began, taking short, methodical steps towards him. "You're stronger than you give yourself credit for, okay? You can fight it- I know you can."

Robin simply stared at her, a stinging sensation starting to form in the corners of his eyes.

"Lissa, I... I'm sorry..."

Before he could finish his sentence, he saw a flash of movement to his right before he felt two hands grip his wrists at the same time as his hands came down towards his stomach. The two pairs of hands stopped in the air, the only thing separating blade from flesh. Shocked, Robin turned to face Chrom, who wore a labored look on his face.

"Drop it, Robin!"

The two struggled against eachother for a few moments, the blade's distance to Robin's torso shortening and lengthening as the two fought for superiority over the other. In a last ditch effort, Robin reared his head back before launching it forcefully into Chrom's forehead with a sickening thud.

Chrom staggered back, lights beginning to swirl in his eyes as Robin saw his opportunity- the only thing separating him and his dagger now was the crisp, night air. Closing his eyes, he brought the blade down to his stomach in a short, swift motion.

The sound cut through the panic as it punctured his cloth and entered his stomach. In another violent motion, he twisted the blade, causing him to grimace and hiss from the pain that shot through his body.

"No!"

"Father, no!"

"Dad!"

Wait, he thought as his vision went blurry. Father?

The next few minutes were a blur. As one pair of hands desperately removed the blade, another forcefully pushed him to the ground as the dagger was tossed to the ground beside him. The shuffling and shouting became a muffled jargon in his ears as he lay on his back, world swirling around him. Opening his eyes, he met Lissa's. She was shouting something, but he couldn't focus hard enough on the words to hear what she was saying. In her hands, a healing staff was hovering over the wound in his stomach, soft energy tugging at the puncture wound and making his body feel as if it could be swept away by the slightest gust of wind.

Smiling up at her, he weakly raised a hand towards her before slipping out of consciousness.

Coming to with a groan, Robin struggled to open his eyes. Now that he was awake, he became acutely aware of the burning in his stomach, as well as the dizziness in his head.

"Thank Naga, he's awake!"

Forcing his eyes open, he saw several pairs of legs rushing towards him. Looking to his sides, he lifted his hands to find them covered in blood- the Mark of Grima's bright glow bursting through the liquid covering his right hand.

"Gods, Robin, what were you thinking?" Lissa half-laughed, half-sobbed.

Blinking and shaking his head, he turned to face the source of the voice. He found Lissa, puffy and red eyes showing that she had been crying. Slowly, he began to remember what he had just done.

He tried to respond to her, but the only sound that he made was a scratchy rasp. Clearing his throat, he spoke. "I'm sorry. Gods, I'm sorry."

In response, she took his hand and squeezed tightly, as if she were the only thing anchoring him to the world. Under normal circumstances, he would scold her for squeezing too hard, but now wasn't the time. Turning to his Exalt, he smiled weakly. "Thanks, Chrom."

Chrom huffed a gust of air out of his nose in disbelief. "Lords above, why is it always my responsibility to save you from your terrible ideas?"

Robin chuckled, causing him to fall into a coughing fit.

"Ow," he laughed. "Someone around here's gotta keep me in line."

Glancing around the worried faces staring back at him, a thought suddenly popped into his head that made him stop cold. His eyes shot to Owain, the pieces finally registering.

"Wait a second... Owain?"

Two voices had called out for their fathers when he threw the blade into himself.

His mouth fell open and his eyes widened as he studied the son he didn't know he had until that very moment. Owain recoiled back, realizing that his emotional slip-up had revealed the truth to his father.

Robin's gaze frantically shot towards Lissa, her expression showing that she also realized her son's mistake. They read each-other's eyes for a moment before Robin pulled her towards him and their lips met.

The heart is a complicated thing. It can be misleading, and sometimes, the heart can flat out lie to you. But the heart can be a powerful tool when used appropriately. The heart is always searching, even if it isn't sure what it's searching for- the heart doesn't know what it's looking for until it has found it.

The two of them, joined together in that moment, was all Robin could ever ask for.